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Graceful Glasswing Butterflies 森林精灵：透翅蝶

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We may shrink from spiders, cockroaches, and other bugs, but the butterfly captivates us all. Its intriguing life cycle – from caterpillar to pupa ___1___ fabulous creature – is one of nature’s great wonders. There are as many as 20,000 species of butterfly. Some of them are known for long migrations ___2___ others are admired simply for their beauty. These winged insects enchant people everywhere.

我们可能会对蜘蛛、蟑螂或其他昆虫退避三舍，但却为蝴蝶所著迷。从毛毛虫、蛹、再长成奇妙的生物，蝴蝶复杂的生命周期是自然界的惊奇之一。世界上有多达2万种蝴蝶，有些以长途迁徙著名，有些只因其美丽的身影而受人喜爱。世界各地的人们陶醉于此种有翅膀的昆虫。

In the forests of Central America ___3___ a particular unusual type of butterfly, but even if you travel there, you’d still have to be very ___4___ to see one. Glasswing butterflies, or Greta oto, can be found from Panama to Mexico, but their translucent wings make them very difficult to ___5___. Instead of the attractive, colored tissues that characterize the wings of most species, the wing tissue of the Greta oto is clear, and almost invisible to the human eye. Although you can see the dark borders of the wings, and the veins that run ___6___, the wing tissue itself is see-through. The delicate ___7___ of these remarkable butterflies is misleading, though, as the Glasswing is just as strong as any other species.

中美洲的森林里住着一种品种特别的蝴蝶，但即使你造访当地，也需有相当运气才能一探其庐山真面目。又名Greta oto的透翅蝶生活在巴拿马至墨西哥间的区域，但牠们的透明羽翼使其很难被看到。不似大部分的蝴蝶物种以引人注目的彩色双翼为特色，透翅蝶的翅脉组织为透明的，人的肉眼几乎无法看清。即使你能见到翅膀上的深色边缘与遍布其上的血管，但其双翅仍是透明的。此种奇异蝴蝶不似其娇细的外表，牠其实如其他蝴蝶物种般强壮。

___8___ the Glasswing is difficult to see, it is relatively safe from predators. The caterpillars are safe, too, as they hatch from eggs ___9___ on the poisonous nightshade plant. The caterpillars feed on this toxic plant and are thus unappetizing to hungry rain forest animals in need of a snack.

因为透翅蝶很难被找到，相对地牠也极少受掠食者侵扰。透翅蝶在有毒茄属植物上孵蛋，使其幼虫也不受攻击。透翅蝶幼虫以有毒植物为食，故对于想打打牙祭的雨林动物来说，透翅蝶幼虫可是很难下咽。

Looking almost like a butterfly stencil, the Glasswing is an extraordinary insect. You’d have to be patient to spot one, but it would surely be ___10__ the wait.

透翅蝶是一种奇异的昆虫，看上去像极了一块模板图案。你必须具备相当耐心才能见到一只，但这等待一定值得。

－by Alice Davis

Vocabulary

单词发音

shrink from 退缩, 畏缩 avoid

cockroach [ˋkɑk͵rotʃ] n. 蟑螂

captivate [ˋkæptə͵vet] v. 使着迷; 迷住; 吸引

intriguing [ɪn`trigɪŋ] adj.〔由于奇特﹑神秘或出人意料而〕引起好奇心的; 令人感兴趣的

caterpillar [ˋkætɚ͵pɪlɚ] n. 毛虫

pupa [ˋpjupə] n. 蛹

fabulous [ˋfæbjələs] adj. 惊人的；难以置信的

migration [maɪˋgreʃən] n. 迁移；（候鸟等的）迁徙

admire [ədˋmaɪr] v. 称赞，夸奖

enchant [ɪnˋtʃænt] v. 使陶醉﹐ 使入迷

translucent [trænsˋlusnt] adj. 半透明的

spot [spɑt] v.【口】认出，发现

tissue [ˋtɪʃʊ] n. (动植物的）组织

characterize [ˋkærəktə͵raɪz] v. 具有……的特征，以……为特征

invisible [ɪnˋvɪzəb!] adj. 看不见的

vein [ven] n.【动】翅脉; 纹理，条纹

see-through adj. 透明的

delicate [ˋdɛləkət] adj. 纤弱的，娇弱的

misleading [mɪsˋlidɪŋ] adj. 使人误解的；骗人的

as 因为 because

predator [ˋprɛdətɚ] n. 捕食其他动物的动物

nightshade [ˋnaɪt͵ʃed] n. 茄属植物; 龙葵属植物

feed on 靠...为食 to eat

unappetizing [ʌnˋæpə͵taɪzɪŋ] adj. 引不起食欲的；引不起兴趣的；索然无味的

stencil [ˋstɛns!] n. 油印蜡纸; （用模板或蜡纸印刷的）图案

Glass wing Butterflies.wmv

Greta oto, a beautiful Glasswing butterfly

Answer